Kalaripayattu, traditional Indian martial arts comes to UAE

The legendary martial art from Kerala, Kalaripayattu, traditional methods of fighting with swords, rods and flexible swords is gaining popularity all over the world.

A martial art training center from Kerala is starting operations in the UAE.CVN Kalari from Nadakkavu, Kozhikkodu in Kerala, a 70 years old center of training in Kalaripayattu, traditional sword fighting and stunt methods, used by soldiers and others is starting training (language) and treatment center in Dubai.

As part of their foray into the UAE, the center is present in the Global Village offering a demonstration of the fighting and injury treatment systems. 

Fighters from the CVN Kalari, will perform in the Global Village main stage on January 14.

Among the various Bollywood celebrities who are trained in the CVN Karali is Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, who spent quite a good time to get training in Kalaaripayattu.

Their stunning performance in the latest box office hit, 'Bajirao Mastani', is partly because they were trained by of CVN Kalari, a 70 years old training center for the martial arts, along with Ayurvedic treatment for various injuries and illnesses associated with sword fighting.

"Like Ayurveda, Kaalaripayattu is gaining popularity all over the world. Those who have watched Bajirao Mastani, the latest Bollywood movie will know the meaning of Kalaripayattu. Both Ranveer Singh who played the lead role as Maratha warrior Bajirao and Deepika Padukone, who played the role of Mastani, a Rajput princess and fighter have been trained in Kalaripayattu by trainers from CVN Kalari.

"We have trained many other celebrities including Jacki Chan, Mammotty, Mohanlal and Abhishek Bachchan for various movies," says Gopa Kumar, Director of CVN Kalari, which is active in the Indian Pavilion of Global Village.

"We have trained celebrities for various historical movies like Pazhassiraja, Thacholi Varghese Chekavaru, Oru Vadakkan Veera Gatha, Urumi, Guru, in Malayalam. From Bollywood, we have trained Shah Rukh Khan for his fighting roles in (Dil Se) and Ashoka, Akshay Kumar for Lahakma Gourav, Ravi Chandri  for two Kannada movies, Shakuni and Ekanki),” he said.

"For two months, we were invited by the 'Bajirao Mastani' director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to train Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone about martial arts steps.

"They were trained in Mumbai and for the movie, choreographed various action sequence. Our team had to be present in various shooting sites involving war and fighting," said Kumar who is running the Kalari with his brothers, Sunil Kumar and Anil Kumar.

"Five students from the CVN Kalari did the fighting scenes against the two celebrities in 'Bajirao Mastani'. This was to ensure that they follow the right steps while doing the fighting scenes as per martial art rules. It was not a very difficult task to train both Ranveer and Deepika because they were easily doing fighting scenes in other movies. While using Urumi (long flexible sword), Ranveer was injured slightly and both of them were injured during shooting and training. Urumi is a six feet long flexible sword and it should be moved very fast lest it will hurt the user himself.” They strained much to learn the fighting steps and use of swords and urumi and for the injuries too we have trained them. 

Jackie Chan got training in martial arts in China for his movie, The Myth, and our team went to China to train him. In the movie Pazhasshi Rajav Mammootty was trained in Kalaripayattu. He had earlier did a similar movie, Vadakkan Veeragatha, another historical movie involving sword fighting sequences. In the case of Mohanlal also and it was easy to train him because of his flexible body, he said.

Both Abhishek Bachchan, Vikram in Tamil played sword fighting steps from CVN Kalari.

"We are starting Kalari Massage, an Ayurvedic method of massage, along with other treatment from the Kalari. When you get trained in Kalaripayattu, students get injured and their treatment was also done in the Kalari itself. Sometimes wounded, dislocation of muscles, breaking bones. I am yet to learn other aspects of Kalaripayattu."

The Indian pavilion is also offering special Kalari massage offering specialized treatment of bone, nerve and muscular diseases like Arthritics, spinal injuries, sports injuries, bone fractures, rheumatism etc. It is also offering Marmachikilsa, treatment on the vital parts of the body for back pain.

Out of 107 vital spots of the body, 64 are fatal if injured and Kalari masters are experts in treating such injuries using Ayurveda.

1945 we are going to start a Kalaripayattu class and in the Global Village, Global Village performance on January 14, half an hour performance by seven fighters. In the other international markets too we train them for fighting and treatment together.

Gopa Kumar, Anil Kumar, Sunil Kumar, three sons of Kumman Narayanan, Kannur and Calicut kalari, Nadakkavu. When 1945 started, students and foreigners, We are using normal sword. All the soldiers were sword fighters and even the British had to ban kalaari payattu.

"We expect many students to join for the courses because it is a popular way of fighting and self-discipline. Before the arrival of guns and missiles, soldiers used to be good foot sword fighters and the British had to ban Kalaripayattu to prevent soldiers belonging to local ki9ngs getting trained. Now we have training facilities in Australia, Europe and Japan etc."

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